Family Fund

[straweberryjelly]

Hi All

I have a DS with HFA & someone said I should apply to FF to ask for help with driving lessons I don't work but hubby does.

I'm in receipt of DLA, CA & CTC.

How do you know if you qualify for applying? Is there a household limit and will they take hubbys wages into account? Just wondered if there was a threshold before I fill out & send the forms?

Also should you just out the one thing or should you list a couple?

Any help appreciated.

Cheers

Just apply and see how you get on, from what I remember (it was a long time ago) I think the cut off point was a joint family income over a certain amount, but I can't remember what that was however, that wasn't inclusive of DLA/CB etc.

They come to the house and do a full assessment of means, and also look at how you cope and what, if any, improvements could be made to your lives as a whole and then they set a budget for that.

From memory I got driving lessons, wooden flooring for the whole house (a specific need) and a holiday. They were very kind but also we'd been in hospital for quite a long time and they wanted the house ready for when we got home.

Give them a call. Whatever happens in your application they were always willing to listen and they would always see if they could help even if it was in a minor way.

Hi

Thank you for your reply. I wasn't too sure but think I will give it a go & see what they say. I will ring them tomorrow.

Thants what I would like most of all the driving lessons would be excellent.

Thanks

I applied last year and asked for a. rear facing group 1 carseat and driving lessons. They said that if you ask for driving lessons, they will only fund that as it is quite a big pay out. We obviously needed the carseat, and when we asked for just that, they asked if we needed any funding towards anything else for ds family (wrt his needs) or the, and we got some play equipment for the garden and a tumble dryer.

Hi

If I am honest I would be thrilled to have the whole grant for the driving lessons that is the big need & such an expense! Not sure we will meet the crietria hubby may be considered to earn too much. Do you or anyone know what the cut off for household earnings are? I have looked on the website but it doesn't say how much you or a partner can earn.

I hadn't heard of FF until a friend at school said there was a grant you could get if you get DLA.

Thanks for your help

We are get tax credits so were under the income threshold. Also as we have HRC we got a voucher for an iPad for dd without an interview. I was expecting them to come out and talk to us. Apparently they need as many people as possible to apply to keep their funding levels up each year so if you think you may be eligible please apply.

It was nearly eight (feck I feel old now ) years ago, that I was given driving lessons and at the time I was living in a hospital with DS in one city while my DP and family were at home in another city.

Their package was a set one of two goes of the theory test, about 40 lessons (but with the BSM, so it's actually twenty two hour lessons) and two goes at practice test. I had to pay for extra lessons, as my head wasn't together, but I passed my test and it was a life line, espeically with frequent hospital appointments etc.

Please do speak to them. They are so nice, and they will do their best to get you any help they can.

It was invaluable for me and my family. I hope you get the same thing :)

I have applied for driving lessons yesterday, with my fear of driving hopefully it will be enough lessons ;) I didn't find Family Fund maximum income, but Cerebra states 60000 so maybe it will be similar. Does anybody know how long it takes for the grant to be processed?

Thanks all. I too am so scared of driving but with the help with the cost of lessons now and such a good block of lessons I know it would help.

I should have done it years ago. I take my children on the bus everywhere its just a slog especially when he starts acting out. TBH I'm feed up of not being able to take them to certain places further a field just because I didn't do lessons its unfair to them. Wow 40 lessons would sort me out I hope lol!!

Fingers & toes crossed could really do with the funding & boosing my confidence.

I think I will call them tomorrow and see what they say I need to find out what the maxium salary is your household can have.

Its great that places like FF support SEN children & their families it makes such a difference. Cheers all

And come back when you have the lessons we can support each other :)

I'll join in the support, I have just started lessons again after a 3 year gap after failing my 3rd test. I get in an absolute panic before the test (throwing up and shaking, it is stupid). This time I need to pass, as now I have ds and we can access so much more if i can drive, as it is I have to rely on friends and dh, buses and hospital transport.

Good luck and fingers cossed.

Our application took a few months (about four) and it took the driving lessons even longer as they had to do-ordinate with BSM to fit me in.

But they said at the time that it depends on the number of the applications they have at any one time.

Babiki - I think we asked, despite being a low income family we were interested to know how it worked (i.e. we were nosey buggers). I think £60,000 sounds about right, but it was so long ago I really cant remember.

Good luck straweberry, hazey and Babiki, - I hope you all get your lessons and pass your tests soon :)

Thank you both I will. No I totally understand the nerves!! I feel exactly the same you can access so much in terms of days out & support groups & so on.

I will come back and let you know how I got on either way.

Thanks :)

Once I find out the maxium income I will post it on here.

At least if I get FF the time it takes will allow me to read the theory book.

Cheers all :)

I used the family fund for driving lessons 8 years ago now. Back then you had to have a family income of less then £25,000, I think that has gone up to £40,000 but check to make sure, I got 27 lessons with bsm and 2 tests, I already had my theory but I think you get 2 theory tests. I needed the 2nd test as had an arse of an examiner and panicked a bit so had to put some money to in the end but it was the best thing I ever did.
Go for it, they can only say no, but as long as your hubby isn't earning bankers type wages you should get it.

Thanks guys and good luck too - HazeyJane I never even made it for the test- always took few lessons and left it.. So you are good! This time I just have to do it..

Hi Debs75

If the range is £40,000 then hubby earns below that just under 30k so I hope I can apply for the lessons. I didn't know they paid for the test as well thats fab.

That is a worry though getting a cranky examiner would be all i need lol!

I will keep you all updated.
:)

All the best to you. I promised myself that I would start driving again this year and I am running out of time (we are past the halfway point). I used to have a driving license, but it was taken after I suffered a spinal cord injury 8 years ago. I am physically able to drive again, but it seems that my confidence was taken along with the license.

If you can do it, so can I

Hi there's no maximum income now, you just have to be in receipt of one of the means tested benefits I think. We applied and got £100 Argos card and £550 Thomas cook vouchers

We did have a home visit but it was very informal.

Beemom I am sorry to hear about your accident but glad you are able to drive again. I did lessons over 6 years ago and then stopped so I know what you mean when you say your confidence goes with it!
I also need to apply for my porvisional again its been that long it has expired!!

Pumpster thats great news I will certainly give it ago and let you all know how I get on ;)

That's crazy??!! That doesn't make sense at all...they should have been given a reason as to why they were refused surley. I don't know about an appeal process I would actually FF and see what they say and take it from there. There some to be so many people who have been able to get help it does seem odd. I am going to send my application and will keep you posted!

I hope the family find out whats going on & have some luck.

I spoke to somebody from FF a few weeks ago and they asked if we were in receipt of CTC. We've just been moved off them thanks to the change of limit. She then asked how much our household income was. I don't work, but DH earns about 32k. I was told we would be eligible.

They only help once a year, but apart from that I don't know why the family would have been turned down - unless it was because they were asking for something unreasonable, or something that the NHS has a duty to provide.

This thread has been a revelation to me. I don't drive, which makes looking after DS even harder. I'd love to be able to take him out more and do more with him. I had no idea the Family Fund might be able to help with this, but I'll look into it now.